Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with fiber sample preparation devices for analysis, as an example. Natural fibers (e.g., cotton) are commonly used as textile materials with fiber quality remain one of the most serious issues for the world's textile industry. There is a perception among textile manufacturers that some cotton is of lesser quality than other cottons; however, these perceptions of quality are generally not expressed quantitatively.
Generally, natural fibers are divided into grades that are dependent on fiber maturity, fineness, contamination (e.g., from a variety of sources surrounding vegetation, and insects) and damage (e.g., from cotton harvesting and handling). The growth and storage conditions of the natural fibers also play a role in the condition and maturity of the cotton fiber. The grade of the fiber will ultimately determine the use of the fiber in materials and garments.
One factor that influences the grade of the fiber, determines its use in production, spinning and ginning processes and therefore directly affects the value of the cotton in the market place is the maturity of the fiber. For example, the presence of immature cotton fibers poses significant problems in processing performance and in the quality of the finished textile, e.g., the neps, weak places in yarns, ends-down in spinning, excess waste, dyeing imperfections, white specks and barré. The maturity of the fiber can be determined through analysis of the physical characteristics of the fiber.
Generally, a cotton fiber is an elongation of a single epidermal cell on the surface of the seed and the maturity of that fiber refers to the degree of thickening of the fiber cell wall relative to the perimeter or effective diameter of the fiber. The degree of development of the fiber wall is one indication of fiber maturity. Other physical characteristics indicative of the quality of the fiber are the cross sectional profile and the length of the fiber. The cross sectional profile or morphology of the fiber is determined by the cell wall area and the perimeter of the fiber cross-section; however, the circularity or degree of thickening is also important in determining the quality of the fiber.
One method used extensively in the textile field for grading fibers is batch testing, which is a compilation of measurements from many different instruments. One indicator used by cotton growers to determine fiber quality is the length and the cross-sectional profile of the fiber. However, the current batch testing techniques are not practical for use in commercial operations due in-part to their slow process speed. Currently, High Volume Instrument (HVI) and Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) are used to characterize the fibers by measuring physical and mechanical properties (e.g., length and shape) of fiber (e.g., cotton) at rates upwards of 1000 per second. AFIS is an aeromechanical separator with a single entity sensor and computer for data collection and analysis. The AFIS separates fibers and neps into one air stream, and trash into another air stream. The fibers and neps are then monitored using optical-based sensors and analyzed.
One disadvantage of devices currently in use include the lack of accuracy and precision of fiber length measurement, due in part to the tendency of the device to measure two partially overlapping fibers as one and the inability of the device to distinguish whether a fiber is doubled over upon itself or straight. Current methods must sample tens of thousands of times to obtain reproducible data; however, accuracy is still limited.
Another disadvantage of devices currently in use includes the lack of accuracy and precision because of inconsistencies in the preparation of samples for analysis. Current samples preparation techniques used in the art produces non-uniformed cuts at the ends of the fiber segments (e.g., angle variations from the perpendicular) and have a tendency to produce samples with partially overlapping fibers.